1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand tools. More specifically, the present invention is a hand tool that allows a worker to quickly lift one end of a car stop and, in combination with a second worker lifting another end, move the car stop to a new location.
2. Description of the Related Art
A car stop, or parking curb, is a durable, elongated block—typically concrete or heavy plastic—that is tall enough to stop most non-commercial vehicles travelling at speeds typical during the act of parking. These car stops, which typically have beveled surfaces angled relative to the parking surface, catch the tires of the vehicle and impede further movement. In addition, in order to effectively resist the repetitive impact from parking vehicles, car stops typically include at least two retaining holes from the top surface through the body of the car stop to the bottom surface positioned near the opposite ends of the car stop. Lag screws or spikes may be disposed through the holes and into the parking lot surface in order to prevent theft and/or inadvertent repositioning of the car stops.
Car stops are most often positioned at the interior end of a parking space—that is, the end toward which the vehicle is advanced—to limit the movement of a car past a predetermined position within the space. For example, for a parking space abutting a sidewalk, a car stop may be placed proximal to the sidewalk to limit how far a car moving into the space can advance, thus protecting the front of the car if the sidewalk is particularly high or some other obstruction which could damage the car. Such placement would also protect those using the abutting sidewalk from inadvertently being hit by a car. Similarly, when two parking spaces are positioned opposite each other so that their interior ends abut, such that a car advancing into one space could impact a car already occupying the opposite space, a car stop is frequently placed at the interior end of the spaces to prevent unintentional contact of one vehicle with the already-parked vehicle.
It is frequently necessary to lift and move car stops. For example, this occurs when car stops are transported from the manufacturer to a location where they are to be placed. Likewise, car stops are moved and replace when a parking lot is resurfaced.
In order for car stops to perform the desired function, they are heavy and not readily movable. As a result, injuries to workers are not uncommon. For example, concrete car stops typically weigh between 175 and 200 pounds. Prior to the present invention, car stops were most typically lifted by hand. Setting and resetting the car stops expose fingers and toes to crushing and mutilation, as well as the possibility of a severe back injury. Moreover, because of their weight and bulkiness, significant time is required to move car stops. It may take a four-man crew a full day to set 200 car stops on an asphalt surface. By using the present invention, a four-man crew could cut that installation time to less than half a day.
Equally as important, use of the present invention will decrease the probability of a worker suffering injury as a result of the heavy lifting, which minimizes lost man-hours as well as medical expenses, which can range from hundreds of dollars for finger and toe injuries to thousands of dollars for back injuries.
Devices exist that are specifically designed for lifting concrete, masonry blocks, and other heavy objects. None of the existing devices, however, can be effectively used to lift and move a car stop. Thus, a need exists for a tool to facilitate the safe and efficient setting and resetting of car stops.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,314 discloses a device for lifting catwalk grates that comprises an elongated bent member attached to a handle at a first end and having a pair of notched braces and a hook at a second end. The braces and hook together lock on to a grate and firmly hold the grate during the transfer process. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,314 col. 3 1.54 to col. 4 1.15. Furthermore, by positioning a tool at both ends of a section of grating to be moved, two workers are able to safely lift the grate section and relocate it without significant risk of injury.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,084 also discloses a lifting device having an elongate shaft member. A hook member is supported on a first end of the shaft member, and the substantially perpendicular configuration of the hook member permits a worker to lift heavy objects, such as concrete sidewalk slabs and the like, by supporting them on the hook member. See U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,084 FIG. 9A, FIG. 9B, FIG. 9C.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,608 shows a block lift for use with keystone-type blocks. The lift includes an elongated rod having a first end coupled to the top surface of a plate. The plate is positioned through an aperture in a block and turned so that it is moved under the block's bottom surface. The block may be thereafter lifted by lifting the elongated rod.
While these and other references disclose inventions that may be used for lifting heavy and cumbersome objects, none of the above inventions, taken either individually or in combination, discloses the present invention as claimed.